Key case



Nov. 13, 1928.

F. A. KING ET AL KEY CASE Filed Feb. 10, 1927 M am,

A TTORNE Y.

INVENTORS. 2J

Patented Nv.i13,1928.- f v l` j 1,691,608

UNITED sia-Tiasy PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A, KING AND EMIL BEDFORD, OF GREENFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORST0 EMIL WEISSBROD & SONS, INC., OF GREEITIFIIEILD,v MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS. n i

KEY CASE.

Applcationiled'February 10, 1927. Serial No. 167,091.

Our invention relates to improvements in features of a casev of this'character is its containers or cases designed to receive andflexibility. Y y hold keys and the like,andconsists essentially y Otherobjects and advantages will appear of a strip of flexible material, suchas leather, inthe course of the following description.

foldable so that the end portions overlap the v7e attain the vobjectsand .secure the .adcentral or intermediate portion of said strip,vantages of our invention by the means illusand thus produce anenclosing member or ele# trated in the `accompanying drawings, in ment,a perforated backing attachedv to said which intermediate portion tostifi'en they same and p Figure` 1 a front elevation of a key case 60serve as a direct support for other parts and which embodiesa practicalform of our in members, a plurality of key-holding or -sup vention, theflaps. being open; Fig. 2,7a lrear porting elements consisting in partorincludelevation of the backing with v,the rings ating closed ringsreceivable in the perforations tached thereto by the lock strip; Fig. 3,an in said backing, and a lock strip or strips of elevation similar tothe upper part of the 65 thin and flexible material,such as steel,passedelevation shown in thepreceding view, but through said rings, behindsaid backing, toillustrating a modified form of lock strip; gether withsuch other parts and members as Fig. 4, a plan of two lock strips whichmay be may be necessary orv desirable in order to used in place of thesingle lock strip shown v render the case complete and serviceable in inFig. 3; Fig. 5, an enlarged, sectional de- 70 every respect, alll ashereinafter set forth. tail illustrating the manner inwhich the pre- Oneobject of our invention is to. produce a ferred lock strip initially isinserted in porcase, of the class described, that is simple and tions ofthe rings behind the backing, and, comparatively inexpensive inconstruction, Fig. 6,/an enlarged, sectional detail showing convenient,durable, reliable,- and .withal the normal positions and conditionsofthe highly practical and eliici-ent. lock strip andrings in thecompleted case.

Another object is to afford means for easily, Similar referencecharacters designate quickly, and cheaply attaching the key-holdsimilarparts throughout the several views.

ing members to the case proper and fastening In the first view, one ofthe swivel snap said members thereto or securing them in hooks isomitted to disclose the particular 30 place therein. ,n A type ofperforation provided in the backing Heretofore thongs of leather, or ofcomto receive the ring by means of which the eye bination leather andfabric, have been used of each'hook issupported from and in the asfastening means for the rings which supcase. n i

port or form partsof the key-liolding mein- As illustrated in the firstthree andlast bers, but such thongs are objectionable beviews, this keycase comprises'l av strip of cause, if too thin, they are liable to -bepulled flexible material divided by tw'o vertical out in part or inwhole through the perforacreases or bending portions, indicated at 1-1,tions for sai d rings, in the backings, and, if of into a. back 2 andflaps 3 and 4, the two latter sufiicient thickness to avoidthisliability,tlicy being respectively provided rwith male and 9o i loincrease to an objectionable extent the thickfemale parts 5 and 6 of a.glove fastener: a ness' of the cases at their upper ends. A furbacking7 attached to said back; a plurality ther object is. therefore, toobtain the adof rings 8 from which depend swivel snap vantages, such assimplicity, ease and cbeaphooks 9, there being six of Said rings in theness of construction, and adaptability genpresent example, but there maybe more or 45 erally, for example, of fastening means of less than thatnumber, and a lockstrip 10 by this general character, and at thesametime means ofwhichy said rings are held 'in' place eliminate or avoidthe disadvantages of lthe in said backing.

same. Furthermore, Aby using a lock strip The flap 3 is adapted to befolded over onto of very thin and flexible metal we avoid unthe frontofthe backing k7 and the 'rings 8 100 I 55 ClUlY Sellng the case at thetop, it being' and hooks 9, andover any key'or keys 'carried Y wellunderstood that one ofthe most desirable by said hooks, and the flap 4is adapted to be v edges thereof,oppositely-disposed recesses orl i 49notches 14 there beingas many pairs of folded over onto the outside otsaid firstnamed flap, when the female member (i is snapped intoengagement with the male member 5, thus inclosing the contents oi thecase and securing' the flaps in closed position.` Upon disengaging thefastening members and opening the flaps access is had to the contents'oit 'the case. structurally and functionally -the'se roldinlgpafrltsand their fastener are not unlike corresponding parts and :tasteners inother key cases, and may be varied to a considerable extent. ,1 y,

The backing 7 is a st'iiening" sheet of fleiible material, such as iscommonly used in key-case construction, and is disposed on the innerface ofthe back A2 and secured to .said back` lines of. stitching, oiwhich further mention will be vmade hereinafter. AvIf desired., onevertical edge .ot thebacking' 7, throughfonft the greater portionoffitsrlengtli, may be left unsecured to thebac'k 2 ,to .piovide anyentrance to Vthe space between said back andbacking andthus convertsaid space into Aa pocket accessibletfrom `the outside.

The hooks 9 are .of 'the ordinary snap and swivel type, and .each has atitsl 'upper end-.an eye-11 with "which is engaged one of the rings 8.Thepresent construction enables the rings 8 to be attached to lthevbacking 7 .after sai-d ringshave been attachedto the eyes 11, which isan advantage :because the Ahook units 4can b efmade up completeinitially, and then with the utmost- Afacility imounted in place aselements ot the case. To this end thefbacking? has 'sets of upper andunder holes, vas 12, connected by slits, as 13, punched therein, andthelock strip v10 is provided.

The .lock .strip 10 has, in the longitudinal notches as, there areringsS. The maximum width-of the :lock strip 10 is approximately equalto the interior diameterot anyring 8.- Se@ Fig. .5; Whilev thewidth @iSaid v100k strip. between'the notches 14 ,in any pair is approxi-Vmately equal to the cord ot the arcuate portion, inside, o f-said ringwhich is behind the backing 7 when the. ring is normally disposedeseeFig. .6. Y

This case being ldesigned Vto .include sinr hooks 9, there must bezi-corresponding number or sets of holes V12an l slits 13. These arelocated side byfside in thejbacking 7 nearthe upper edge thereof, and.in -each set are two holes 12,0110 v"above the vot-herf,-and a verticalconnecting.' slit 13, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

; Each ri-ngfS, with the eye 1-1 of oneof the books 9 yattanhed thereto,is vpushed :through one fof the slits 13 -nntil approximately onehalf ofsaid ring is behind theba'cking 7, and portions of said .ring 'are in:the Iholes 12 at the top and 'bottoin otsai'd slit.` Aff-ter the ringhas beenrzpushed throughfthe slit-the edges or' saidfsl-it.'comezftegether againninside for. the ring. The rings 8 having all beeninserted and is pressed against the back side :oft the` baskingv 7.,.and prevents said rings trombeing drawn completely ou'ftofsard backing.

-Diie to the engagement of the rings 8 with.

the notched portinis ot the strip 10, said strip' is held against'anygreat amount o1 longitudinal movement. Being sothimand so comparativelynarrow in the partst'hat engage 'the rings 8, the strip 10positions"saidv rings so that onlycoinparatively small por# tiene, ofthe saine project behind the backing 7. The siti-ip loisfsuliieientlength to tenda short vdistance beyond the outer'most`vrings.

` Alfter the rings 8 have been inserted inthe perforations in thebacking 7 and securedby means of `the .lock strip 10, said 'backing .isstitched to the back 2, there being two lines oit stitching' 15 adjacentvto the top and bottom or' said backing, and aline of stitching 16adjacent to one'lon-gitudinal or vertical edge or' the backing,- also aline of stitching 15 belowY the strip 10, and a short vertical line ofstitching 17 adjacent to lthe opposite longitudinal edge of the backing.space `between the vback 2 and the backing Y to be provided, bothlongitudinal edges of said -backing are stitched lto said backthroughout their entire length. The stitching adjaeentto the-endsoi'zthe strip 10` assist Vin. holding said strip against endwisemovement to an extent that would cause lthe strip tog-becomedisplaced..relative to any of rthe ringsB, in theevent all oisaid ringswere forced inwardly far enough to release -the strip.` n

v Theengageme-nt of the lock strip 10 with the rings 8 is. notsuiiiciently rigid, however, to prevent said ringsV from being swungsideways to the extent required.

Keys are engaged with thehooks 9 v larm anner as keys are engaged withthe hooks ofother cases, and this case as a vwhole is used inpractically 'the saine way as are others. Each hook 9 is swiveled toits-eyeV 1l and therefore free torotate, said eye is loosely held bythering 8 above, andsaidring has a certain amount of lateral movement .asherein- .belfore explained,.consequently a key attached to said fhoojkis capable of being turned about in almost .any direction without ybeing:impeded the case, which isan important advantage V-i-n an articleofthis kind.V

As shown in..-Fig. 3.,-a'loc'k strip 18 maybe employed in vvplaceoftiejlock striplO. The

Itno entrance to the in a simi-v strip 18 is only as wideapproximatel'yasis the strip 10,between the yoppositely .disposed notches 14 therein,Qand said first-named strip has a cross-head 19 at one end. can be passedthrough the rings 8 without initially pushing said rings so far throughthe perforations in the backing 7 as is necessary for the strip 10, andthe cross-head 19 is adapted to bear against one of the outermost ringsand thus positively limit the longitudinal movement of said strip in onedirection.

lf desired two of the strips 18 may be employed side by side, with theireross-heads'lQ oppositely disposed, as shown in Fig. 4. In this ease,the strips 18 are passed from opposite directie-ns through the ringsS,until one cross-head 19 is against one-of the outermost rings, and theother cross-head 19 is against the other outermost ring. Thus double,instead of' single, fastening means for the rings is provided'. Vilhentwo lock strips 18 are used they may be made of ez-tren'iely thin metal.

lnasmuch as the lock strip permits the greater portions of the rings toproject in front of the backing, and also permits said ring to be swunglsideways to some little er;n tent, the upper part of this key case is ormay be quite thin as compared with many other key cases. And, in anyevent, the construction here eliminates undue bulk or thickness throughthe parts of the lback and backing with which the hey-holding' membersare most intimately or closely associated.

Being of hard material and engaged asit# is with or by the rings, thelool; strip can not bev pulled out through the slits 18.

More or less change in the shape, size, construction, aud arrangement ofsome or all of the parts or" this hey case, in addition to thosehereinbefore specifically pointed out, ni ay be made, without departingfrom the spirit of our invention or exceeding the scope of what isclaimed.

Vilhat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is n 1. In a key case, a flexible back, a perforated flexiblebacking, rings in the perfora tions in said backing and projectingbehind The strip 1S the same, a thin flexible loch strip, rectangu-` larin cross section, and flat-sided throughout, said strip passing throughsaid ringsbehind said backing, and lines of stitching between saidbacking and said back outside et' the ends of' said strip to assist inholding the same in place.

2, In a key case, a flexible back, a flexible backing having slitstherein far enough below the upper edge thereof to atl'ord space forstitching said jbacking and back together,

having in the longitudinal edges thereof oppositely disposed notchestoreceive the rings, when'the latter are drawn forward in said slits,whereby said strip is prevented from becoming disengaged from saidrings, and lines of stitching above and below said slits to hold saidbacking and said bac i together.

` 3. ji. key case comprising a fiexible member consisting of a back andflaps, a flexible backing having slits therein far enough below theupper edge thereof' to afford space for stitching said back and backingtogether, rings extending through said slits and projecting behind saidbacking, said rings carrying swivel snap hooks, a thin flexible lockstrip passing through said rings behind said backing, said strip beingrectangular in cross section and flat-sided throughout, having notchesin its longitudinal edges to receive said rings, and of a maximum widthapproximately equal to the inner diameter of said rings, lines ofstitching between said back and backing above and below said slits, andlines of stitching between said back and backing and outside of the endsof said strip to assist in holding the latter against endwise movement.

FRANK A. KING. EMIL BEDFORD.

